Worldwide Veterinary Service

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

Robert Lowe — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:26:07 GMT

Just to add to this although it has been said very well already, WVS are definitely on the side of angels. As a newspaper article put it if you can harness a few Lukes you would solve the worlds energy crisis. I have know Luke since Uni and shared the please of our first jobs together and he has put his heart and soul into WVS.

Rob

Cough - declaration of interest - I am a trustee for WVS

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:35:51 GMT

I don't think you can directly offset against tax, but if you donate your air fare tothe charity,and they buy your ticket, they should be able to reclaim the tax you've already paid on it

Wynne

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

bob lehner — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:04:42 GMT

I've done two trips to Botswana with WVS, spaying feral dogs and would thoroughly recommend it.

WVS is a very worthwhile charity aimed at the grass-roots in countries where veterinary expertise is really needed. Basically they act as a conduit to supply vets and nurses to work overseas for local animal charities.

You generally have to pay your own air-fare to get to your destination - but are then looked after free of charge locally. In Botswana they treated me like royalty - and although you work pretty hard, they lay on plenty of leisure activities - visits to game reserves etc.

I had a fantastic time and will definitely go again when I find time.

I'm not sure about off-setting the costs against your tax bill - you will need to speak to an accountant I guess.

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

Gareth Dowdeswell — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:31:39 GMT

[quote user="james herriot lied"]

I do, though, really want to get a couple of weeks free after Easter, and head onto the continent - so if anybody has any contacts in this sphere, please do let me know.

[/quote]

I spent a week neutering cats in Athens last November, courtesy of Greek Cat Welfare. Food, accomadation and half the price of the flights were paid, so it was a very cheap week, and I did get to see all the Athens sights, but it was hard work for a holiday - 10am-6pm each day, and I don't think I ever want to spay 25 cats in a day again! . I think they do placements out of Athens as well. Not sure how they're coping with the current political situation over there, but if you do want to get in touch my contact in the UK was AngelaCollins1@aol.com

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

james herriot lied — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:51:57 GMT

Smashing responses there, guys - thanks a lot.

At this point, I should come clean - far from this being a transient reaction to pre-on call disillusionment, I've actually been thinking about this for a long time, with particular desire for a placement in northern India / Nepal. My OH is a teacher, and we have two kids who are old enough to both cope with and thrive on exposure to a very different culture. So we're now actually starting to look for projects on the ground, and one of the first places I arrived at was WVS - alongside a number of 'gap year' CV-packing tourist companies. Hence the request for a reference.

We've had a couple of problems in that with major organisations, placements for couples in different disciplines just don't exist; and equally, there isn't much going on with people like VSO at all for straight veterinary placements. So we're looking into individual situations, and seeing where we can at least get some kind of set-up for one of us, with the possibility that the other will at least be able to make themselves useful. We both should have some transferrable skills.

Thanks for the tip re Luke - hadn't seen his name come up, but will get hold of him (and persuade him that I'm actually not a terrible person!)

I do, though, really want to get a couple of weeks free after Easter, and head onto the continent - so if anybody has any contacts in this sphere, please do let me know.

JMH

(I see my red-star stalker is back. Hello . How are you today?)

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

vs0u — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:05:28 GMT

Fantastic organisation - highly recommended!

I've done 2 trips with WVS which were both really good, one in Peru and one in Kenya.

You have to pay £30 to get access to the trip list. Obviously it costs money to make the links with overseas organisations though, making sure they are bona fide etc.

The aim of the trips is to link up local charities in other countries with volunteer vets/nurses, with the aim of providing vet services that wouldn't be otherwise available in those countries, eg. health care for stray animals or those belonging to poor people.

The trips vary but often you get certain expenses paid for by the host charity so it certainly isn't a money making scheme - more aimed at getting expertise to where it's needed. Some of the WVS long term placements pay all costs and even a small salary.

I think it's a very worthwhile organisation, the experience of working with foreign vets and in different circumstances is really interesting, you meet people you never would on a holiday to the same country, and get a flavour of how vet services work there, plus you can exchange surgical and anaesthesia techniques with vets very differently trained. Plus of course you get that warm feeling of doing something useful whilst on holiday!

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 09:24:24 GMT

WVS is mainly about volunteering. I'm not sure what the financial implications are but Luke is definitely one of the good guys!

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:30:26 GMT

That's a rather incomplete reply there ^^.

He is the founder of WVS, if you didn't know.

This link should take you to his profile

http://www.vetsurgeon.org/members/Lgamble/default.aspx

That may be a better answer.

Re: Worldwide Veterinary Service

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:27:47 GMT

Luke Gamble is a registered user on this site. I discovered so to my peril when I referred to him as a Borris Johnson lookalike and then he chipped in to the thread

Came across as a good chap. Maybe send him a PM?